Payroll Technician

CPS HR Consulting; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Generous PTO

Paid holidays

CalPERS retirement

Job summary

CPS HR Consulting is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Technician to join our Finance team in a hybrid Sacramento office, with in-office attendance two days per week. You will manage biweekly payroll for about 100 full-time and 300 intermittent staff, review timesheets, and handle retirement reporting.

The role requires strong payroll knowledge, data accuracy, and customer service skills to support employees, managers, and leadership while ensuring compliance with regulations.

Qualifications

• Three years of payroll, accounting, finance, or technical admin support.
• Experience with payroll systems and payroll reporting tools.
• Strong knowledge of payroll practices, reporting, garnishments, retirement reporting, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Process biweekly payroll for ~100 full-time and 300 intermittent employees.
• Review timesheets and payroll transactions for accuracy.
• Administer retirement reporting (CalPERS, OBRA, Nationwide).
• Coordinate payroll-related deductions and reconciliations; resolve issues with HR and carriers.

Skills

Payroll processing

Payroll reporting

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Customer service

System proficiency

Education

Associate degree (Accounting/Finance/Business)

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC

Primo Payroll

NEOGOV

Power BI

Excel

SharePoint

Teams

Integrity HCM

Job description

Help Ensure Every Employee Gets Paid Accurately and On Time

CPS HR Consulting is seeking a highly detail-oriented Payroll Technician to join our Finance team. This position serves as a key member of our payroll operation and plays an essential role in processing payroll, administering retirement reporting, supporting employee benefits, and ensuring compliance with payroll regulations.

The ideal candidate combines strong payroll expertise with exceptional customer service skills and enjoys working in a collaborative environment that serves public agencies throughout the country.

• Process biweekly payroll for approximately 100 full-time and 300 intermittent employees.
• Review and validate timesheets and payroll transactions.
• Administer CalPERS, OBRA, and Nationwide retirement reporting.
• Coordinate payroll-related benefit deductions and reconciliations.
• Process payroll adjustments, garnishments, and employee record updates.
• Partner with HR and benefit carriers to resolve payroll and deduction issues.
• Generate reports, analyze payroll data, and identify discrepancies.
• Serve as the primary Finance contact for employee payroll questions.

Hybrid Work Environment

Enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule that combines in-office collaboration with remote work. This position is based in Sacramento and requires attendance in the office two days each week. No regular travel is required, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional payroll support from a consistent work location.

What Success Looks Like

• Success in this role means payroll is processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with applicable regulations while serving as a trusted resource to employees, managers, and organizational leadership.
• Payroll for approximately 100 full-time and 300 intermittent employees is processed accurately and on schedule each pay period.
• Timesheet discrepancies, payroll exceptions, and employee concerns are proactively identified and resolved before payroll deadlines.
• CalPERS, OBRA, Nationwide, garnishment, and payroll-related reporting requirements are completed accurately and within required timelines.
• Benefit deductions, carrier reporting, and payroll-related reconciliations are completed with a high degree of accuracy and minimal corrections.
• Employees and supervisors receive responsive, knowledgeable, and professional support regarding payroll processes and requirements.
• Payroll records, desk procedures, and system documentation remain organized, current, and audit-ready.
• Opportunities for process improvement, automation, reporting enhancements, and operational efficiencies are identified and implemented in partnership with Finance leadership.
• Strong working relationships are maintained with Human Resources, benefit carriers, retirement providers, payroll vendors, and internal stakeholders.

• Experience processing payroll in a complex organizational environment with strict deadlines and confidentiality requirements.
• Strong knowledge of payroll practices, payroll reporting, wage garnishments, retirement reporting, and payroll compliance requirements.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to identify, research, and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Advanced attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs while maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.
• Proficiency using payroll systems, spreadsheets, reporting tools, and business applications.
• A collaborative approach and commitment to continuous process improvement.

What Makes You Fit

• Have experience processing payroll for public agencies or organizations with complex payroll environments.
• Understand CalPERS reporting requirements and public sector retirement administration.
• Have experience administering multi-state payroll and supporting employees in multiple jurisdictions.
• Are comfortable working with payroll, accounting, benefit administration, and HR-related data.
• Enjoy troubleshooting complex payroll issues and finding practical solutions.
• Take pride in accuracy, organization, and meeting critical deadlines.
• Build trust through professionalism, reliability, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Enjoy working independently while also collaborating closely with Finance, Human Resources, and external partners.
• Have experience working with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, Primo Payroll, NEOGOV, Power BI, Excel, SharePoint, Teams, Integrity HCM, or similar enterprise systems.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, Human Resources, or a closely related field or additional qualifying experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

Three (3) years of increasingly responsible payroll, accounting, finance, or technical administrative support experience, including but not limited to:

1. Experience processing payroll and maintaining confidential payroll records.
2. Experience working with payroll systems and payroll reporting tools.

Anticipated Timeline

• Interviews: Week of September 14, 2026

• Final Selection: Week of September 28, 2026

Stay Connected

We’ll keep you informed every step of the way via email and text. To avoid missing scheduling links or important updates, please make sure your contact details and notification preferences are current.

We’re a mission-driven, employee-centered consulting organization that exists to support the public sector. At CPS HR, you’ll work alongside professionals who are passionate about serving communities through government excellence.

We offer:

• Hybrid and flexible work options
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• CalPERS retirement
• Generous medical plans and a diverse selection of voluntary supplemental benefits

• A culture that values innovation, relationships, and equity